Musical cabinet.



J. E. BERDSALL.

MUSICAL CABINET.

APPLIGATION FILED 05c. 22. 1915 L%%W? Pmamwdl mm F15- l Fla- EM Witnassas 02%;. mvmwm i mivrns E. BIRDSALL,

or PHILADELPHIA, rnNNsYLvaNIA;

MUSICAL CABINET.

intense;

Application filed ilecember 22, 1915. serial No; 68,282.

Toallj'whom it mag/ concern: L V Be it known. that 1, JAM S E..BIRDSALL, a citizen ofthe UnitedlStates, residing at No.

16,6.N. 'Farsonjstreet, Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Penne sylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Musical Cabinets, of which the following is a specification. p

My invention relatesto cabinets for the keeping of so-called music rec'ords .used

in connection with mechanical musical ini strumentsand has for its objects to provide a safe andidust-proof housing therefor andto afford a simple means of exposing the contents thereof at a convenient, height for making selections soas to obviate thenecessity on theipartof the user of stoopmg or assuming any inconvenient or uncomfortable position, i i v The prevailing form of furniture for storing records, etc., is a low, stationary cabinet,

frequently used also as a table for the instrument, in which the compartments or shelves continue almost tothe floor of the room. This construction compels the user, inmaking a selection, to assume a stooping,

k kneeling, or other equally awkward and uncomfortable. attitude and, frequently in a place where the light is poorest, whereby the use of the cabinet ismore onerous than agreeable. My device overcomes this un pleasant incident byproviding means for automatically elevating the contents of the cabinet where the lightis best andpresent ing the records for easy andaccessible selection. 1 p p .i r U 1 For the purpose of illustrating myinvention'l haveshown and describel one form thereof which is at present preferred by me, although it is to various instrumentalities of which my invention consistscan belvariously arranged and organized and that my invention is not to be} limited to the" precise form, arrangement and organization here n shown and de- The nature; eammates ases and scope of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken, in connectionwith [the accompany-- ing E draw g ming part hereof and, in Whih,: v .7

' Figure 1 is, a elevation of the entire invention, with 'theefront of the cabinet removed, showing inter or construct on; Fig.

ail-at s eref the new a F st" 3, edste l be understood that the viewv of one of the record-retaining shelves;

tig. a, an edge view of the same; and,Fig.

5, a detailsketch of the mechanism for auto{ matically locking the parts when not in use. Similar numerals, refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The stationary base portion consists of an ornamental outer protective cabinet of any suitable design with a strong skeleton frame secured therein "in which, the movable holding rack operates, and a suitable top or cover. This division of the stationary base into an outside cabinet, 1, and interior skeleton, 2, is in reality a detail of if construction serving herein to facilitate description and illustration, and it must be obvious that the skeleton may be an integral part of the cabinet itself in which the guides, bearingsand parts pro viding for the motions of the rack, 3,1n'ay be separately formed or placed instead of being fixed in their relative positions to a distinct framework as herein shown.

The movable rack, 3,- res'embles a .recti linearbox and contains the record holders or shelves, 4, and a drawer, 22, and'i's open at one side to afford access. It is adapted to telescope within the cabinet and be completely concealed therein by the cover, 5., This cover is hinged to the cabinet so that, when opened forward, it may serve as a convenient table. As hereinafter described aftalking machine or other similar instrument may be attached to this table, suflicient space being allowed between the top of the rack 2, when down, and the cover 5 to permit of the sus* pension therein of such an instrument when theco'ver is closed. c i i i i The instrument itself is not a part oflthis invention and is, therefore, not shown, but its position is indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and2, in which latter View isalso shown my convenientmethod of readily securing the instrument. k

a The rack 3 is adapted totravel between, the guide channels 'Zsecured to the frainefQ andwhich engage the guide strips 8 extending verticallyalongthe two opposite sides of the rack. Near thetop of the frame,; 2, are two shafts 9," on] each of which are secured two powerful band spiral vertically springs 10, Each of these; four springs is and constrict the spirals. To provide-forthe necessary adjustment of the spring-tension 'to the Weight of the rack when loaded or partly so, on each shaft 9 near a bearing and is engagejd afidcontrolledby an escapement pawl I 13, pivoted to the frame 2 and provided with a lever 14 to be used as'a'u' operating and permit of the gradual reduction spring-tensi'on a tooth at a time f th Each shaft 19 is esteemed with a reiaciyeiye s'ionmay'be applied.- By this c'o struction the spring tension may be controlled atwill and a p'roper" counterpoise provided for the smooth an 1 easy functioning of tlierac'k;

N er {the bottom of the rack, on opposite sides thereofand adjacent to each point 11 spiifng 'attachment,"is secured a tapered blockjor' wedge"16,-a'dapted to meet and trally positioned adapted; when the rack is y the frame almost Completelylow'ered; to thrust-'outan'd pass behindja spring latch 20; attached. to '2 whereby the rack is locked" in its normal position when not in use. This latch BOhas an'exten'sion passing, 110m: zo'ntally, through the front wall 01" the cab inetl' (Fig; 5) and terminating in: a suitable knob 21 tofacilitate disengagement of said parts whehitfis desiredto cause the rack ';3 'to ascend.

{The shelves, which in my invention; are also'the ecur e -miners, 4; a're,pre'ferably quite thin *and, very strong and are retai 'icd by their?oppositeedges sliding and fitted within suitable narrow slots in" the" opposite walls of the rack 3, so as to be readily slid in and out, whereby, if required, different sized spacingsbetween may be formed. A

1 suitably shaped striplike' spring ejector 23 is secured by pin and slot attachment 2 L each end of the spring; to the'rea-r edge of eachshelf so that it curvesforwardceih trally in the plane ofa record 25 restin'g thereon, and'a-cts to urgeforward the record. Affslendei springflatch 26is secured; pref erably tofthe" under side; to each shelfceiitrally 'ai'i'd shaped so astoextendupwardly finto f the plane of the record thereon where byithe'jejectioii of the latterb'y sprin'g 23 ie-prevented. Each rec rd 25 is 'thus'sek ciii'ely cl'amped in a safe method between the adaptable spring and the 1atchjust"described? When 'it isjdesired tou'ele'ase' the record so retained, a slight downward pressure upon the outwardly ektendilrg end "27 ofthe latch is all that is riecessary to result a ratchet wheel 12 is secured* in a forward movement of the record, directly intothe hand In inserting a record,

this end 27 is held down, the record introduced and urged backward against the spring'23 which thereupon yields allowing theirecord .to be pushed in plac eg theda-tch is then released and permitted to rise and secure the record, as described.

The operation of my device is obviously simple The table or covert beingthrowii forward forms-a table. When'air instrument is-thereto attached this foperation also rings it into playiiiglfpo'sitiohf; The kn'ob 2 1" is then pulled" forward releasi1 'g'the keeper 1 19 'fwher eupoii uhder the of the "spriii'gs' 9 the rack 5 gently ascehdfs uhti'l' checked by the butting f thegriibber facd blocKslG again whe' abinet"iis aay for'use; One of th la 0 ee, 27, eohfiififig" the required record; isfpressfed ail dithe lfe'd ordi slips forward into]'ftliei haridlj After use the record is'Lrestbred as already 6X- pla'ine'd. e To restorethddeyicefto cond'tioiiof inac-tiy' ity after se as -descri'bed that is 90 require is: to reach up and place the fii'i ge'rs over; the tep--or"t11e" m&k; "exert -'a 1 gentle i downward pull thereon and itrwill smoothly arid" ea s'ilyfyi'eld" and" be "readily lowered ujfitilf caught by latch and secu rely i-e taine'd iii the normal i'nclosed peeitieuy table 5 arid itsattached"'instrumefitg"if so employed; is the r turned in; sealing the fen tire interioff and forming hr ornameiital; secureairddust proof reteeter rorbotuthe 10 memes-andthe insarimae i y Y M b'dut; need by? rlac gzi i bt with ,b fje s is the drawer 22; although are nice i lafit use of the ratchet and escapement pawPwiH be eaemiiy en ire "set, t1 a 1 defa e the -'comb1nat1o1 1'-of mernameatal' a vertically shdable music rack'l theieifi,

to alter and control the tension of said springs and means to alternately retain said rack depressed against the action of said springs and release said rack.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of an ornamental cabinet, a vertically slidable music rack therein, horizontal shafts adjacent to the top of said rack and parallel to opposite sides thereof, spiral springs centered on said shafts and connected to said rack, a ratchet wheel on each shaft, an escapement pawl engaged with each ratchet, a portion of each shaft formed to afford engagement with a wrench,

a keeper on said rack and a resilient latch to engage said keeper.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of an ornamental cabinet, a vertically slidable music rack therein, horizontal shafts adjacent to the top of said rack and parallel to opposite sides thereof, spiral springs centered on said shafts and connected to said rack, continuous guideways substantially central of said shafts and perpendicular thereto, continuous guides on opposite sides of said rack engaged therein, means on said shafts to alter and control the tension of said springs and means to alternately retain said rack against the action of said springs and release said rack.

4. In a device of the character described the combination of an ornamental cabinet, a vertically slidable music rack jtherein, horizontal shafts adjacent to the top of said rack and parallel to opposite sides-thereof, spiral springs centered on said shafts and connected to said rack, continuous guideways substantially central of said shafts and perpendicular thereto, continuous guides on opposite sides of said rack and engaged therein, a ratchet wheel on each shaft, an escapement pawl engaged with each ratchet, a portion of each shaft formed to afford engagement with a wrench, a keeper on said rack and a resilient latch to engage said keeper.

5. In a device of the character described the combination of an ornamental cabinet, a vertically resilient music rack appreciably shorter than said cabinet disposed therein, a rotatable cover for said cabinet, means in said cover to secure and retain a musical instrument such as a phonograph, means to alter and control the degree of resiliency of said rack and means to alternately retain and release said rack.

6. In a device of the character described, in combination with a stationary protective base, guiding means, a slidable rack guided thereby, actuating springs attached to said base and so connected to said rack as to normally cause it to ascend, means to adjust the tension of said springs to properly counterpoise the weight of said rack, wedge shaped members on said base adjacent to said springs, corresponding wedge shaped members positioned near the bottom corners of said rack and adapted, when said rack is elevated, to make contact with and be re strained by the first mentioned wedgeshaped members, each with each, a keeper on said rack, and a latch on said base adapted to engage with said keeper and retain said rack within said base.

7 JAMES E. BIRDSALL. Witness:

P. P. HENRY.

Goples of this patent may be attained forfive cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

